Hugo

A tour-de-force of filmmaking prowess laced with a love of the cinema that is 2nd-to-none, Martin Scorsese's "Hugo" is truly a masterpiece. In telling the story of a young boy who happens upon the magical inventions of pioneer director Georges Melies, Scorsese uses everything in his arsenal - from the most primitive special effects (used in the recreation of Melies' films) to the most advanced (in the almost entirely digital train station that serves as the films setting.)

For the first time, Scorsese has made a film that directly confronts his biggest obsession, and he has a lot to say: about the transcendence and wonder a trip to the movies can bring, about the immeasurable struggle that comes with creating art, and the unexplainable pain that comes with seeing it forgotten or destroyed (indeed, perhaps the main theme of the film is a plea for film preservation.) This is such an overused term, but "Hugo" is truly magical: in its awe-inspiring style, in the amazingly broad scope of emotions it covers over two hours, and more than anything in the unparalleled love of movies that shines through every single frame.

Perhaps the biggest question coming with the release of this disc was how the 3-D photography would transfer to 2-D home entertainment. Happily, I can report that it was done magnificently - the clarity is stunning, and the picture is notably a shade brighter than the film appeared under glasses in theaters. The extras are nothing to write home about; the standard collection of short documentaries on the making of, the background of the story, and on the actors. Regardless, "Hugo" is a must for anyone with a love for the cinema. Some may have made jokes at the film's expense about how the lack of violence makes it an atypical Scorsese film, but make no mistake: this may be his most personal work yet.

"Hugo"
Blu-ray
$44.98
paramount.com